Stephen B. Wilson, conductor

Conductor Stephen B. Wilson earned his Bachelor's degree in voice and his Master's degree in conducting from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He thereafter served on the faculties of Emerson College (Boston) and North Carolina Wesleyan College, teaching conducting, music theory, and voice. While in Boston, Wilson served as conductor for many musical theater productions, including Company, Anyone Can Whistle, The Beggar's Opera (the accompaniment of which he edited and arranged), and Zorba. He routinely led the Emerson Singers in choral/orchestral concerts, including such works as Stravinsky's Mass and portions of Berlioz's Romeo and Juliette.

Wilson earned his doctorate in conducting from Ball State University in Indiana, where he was voted "Most Outstanding Graduate Student" for two consecutive years by the faculty of the School of Music. While there, he was given the title of conductor of the Ball State Symphony Orchestra when the ensemble's full-time director became ill. He then led the orchestra in a state-wide tour of Indiana, performing orchestral music of Debussy, Dvorak, Beethoven, and Liszt.

In the early 1990's after a sabbatical leave in which he arranged, edited, and translated the Gaelic music of western Scotland, Wilson was a three-time medal winner at the Ligonier (PA) Scottish Games, performing
puirt a' beul in the original language.

He joined the faculty of SUNY Cortland as Associate Professor of Music in 1985, and shortly was promoted to Professor after receiving the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1992. He served one term as chair of the Department of Music. Dr. Wilson currently conducts the Choral Union and the College Singers and teaches music theory. A highly eclectic musician, Wilson often sings throughout the region, plays the organ, conducts church choirs, and plays keyboard in the local bluegrass group TheJazzHappensBand. His choral arrangements have been performed in California, North Carolina, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York.